Door header



March 27, 1945. s. REEsE Doon HEADER Filed Sept. 5, 1942 www Patented Mar. 27, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Samuel Reese, Cleveland, Ohio, assignor to 'The Youngstown Steel Door Company, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application september 5, 1942,r serial No. 457,451;

s claims. (o1. zo-zei This vinvention relates to door headers and is directed particularly to headers yfor sliding doors of railway house cars. l

It is Van object of this invention to provide headers `for sliding doors which shall combine a trough for trapping and disposing of rain, snow, dust, einde-rs and the like, and a exibl'e door seal. I

It is a further object to provide door 'headers of the character stated 'above in which the sealing portion formsa part of the trough of the header. n y

It is `a 'further object to provide door headers of Ythe character stated above as an article of manufacture.

lIt; i-s a further object to provide door headers of the character stated above which shall be interchangeable with trough `l'leaders now in use without requiring modification of the doors 'with which'they vare associated or ofthe cars to which they are applied.

Other objects of the invention will become clear as the description thereof proceeds. v

In the drawing forming part of this specication:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary'elevation illustrating the invention in association with a sliding car door, parts being broken away to more clearly show the invention.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a vertical 'section taken on line 3`3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a vertical section showing a modified form of the invention.

Fig. 5 is a vertical section vshowing a further embodiment of the invention.

In the drawing which illustrates several ein bodiments of the instant invention the numeral lll designates aconventionai type of Z-shaped side plate for railway house cars having a horizontally disposed web I I and upstanding and depending flang'es I2 and I3. Secured to the depending lange i3 is a Z-shap'ed door retaining bar I4, the vertical flange i5 of which iis riveted to the depending flange I3 of the side plate as indicated at I6. The flange I1 of the retaining barv I'4 is disposed in spaced relation to the depending flange I 3 of the side plate so as to provide. space for the reception of the upper portion of a sliding lift door i8 mounted upon the car.r It is to be understood that the door is equipped' with any desired type of lift mechanism by means cf which.. the door may lbe 'elevated above a supporting track upon which it is frictionally yseated yin its lowered position for support upon anti-friction means in .order to open or close the door. 4The position of the Idoor is illustratedy in full lines in theseveral sectional views Vwhen it is in its lowered position. IThe position of the door when elevated is indicated in these views hy the dot and dash lines.

, Thedoor is ofvra well'known type and the rportion thereof illustrated embodies' a metallic panel IB provided with horizontal corrugations, one of which isshown at 2,8, which merge at their ends into vertical corrugationsl and 22 formed in the panel.. A backing plate 23 spans the upper horizontal corrugation 20 and is secured to the panel on opposite sides of this corrugation. The upper margin of the door is reinforced 'by means of an angle member 24, the lvertical leg-w25 of which is secured upon the outside ofthe panel and the horizontal leg "26 Tof Which-extends inwardly beyoud the inner face of the panel.

t''heffrontl vertical margin `of the :door is re-l inforced by 'means of asuitable member 21 and the rear'vertical margin vof thefdoor vis reinforced by'means of an angle member 218. A rigid sealing strip 29 'is fastened to the inner faceofrthe door along the rear margin thereof. Suitable reinforcement l(not shown) is also provided for the lower margin of the door.

A door opening is formed in each side of the car'. `This opening is dened in part by means 0f the side plate I0 and by vtrneans of door posts, the one at the :rear of 'the door being designated by the numeral 33. Door post 30 embodies a horizontal flange 3|` Ato Awhich an angle member 32 is fastened 'as by means 7of rivets 33. The leg 340i the post angle member extends outwardly and has secured thereto a spark strip 35 which cooperates with the door sealing strip 29 to ei:- clude rain, snow, dust, cinders andthe like.

The-instant invention provides a novel header for the -cai' above described which embodies a trough adapted to trap and dispose of foreign matter beyond the rear door post and outwardly of the door opening and a e'xible sealing means for vthe, upper margin of the door so as to prevent rain, snow, dust,l cinders and the like from 4en tering the door opening around the upper edge of the door. The embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive, takes-the form of `a relatively rigid angle member 36 having a vertically y.disposed flange 31 riveted to and preferably upon the inside of the depending ilange I31'of the yside plate l0. The ange 38 of the angle member extends outwardly and is substantiall-y horizontal.

The door header embodies also a flexible Inetallc member 39 formed with a vertical flange 49 disposed between the depending flange I3 of the side plate and the vertical flange 31 of the angle 36 and secured therebetween by means of the rivets which fasten the latter flange to the side plate. The flexible member 39 is formed with a horizontal flange 4| extending from the vertical flange 40 and seated upon the horizontal flange 38 of the angle member 36. At its outer edge the horizontal flange 4i is bent so as to provide an upwardly and inwardly directed flange 42 which constitutes the outer wall of the trough formed by the structure above described.

The angle member 36 of the header structure extends substantially from the front door post to the outer edge of the spark strip 35. The vertical flange 31 terminates adjacent to the rear door post as more clearly shown in Fig. 2 of the drawing. A portion of the horizontal flange 38 is coped so as to extend substantially to the outer face of the attaching flange of the spark strip 35 as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawing. The remainder of the horizontal flange 38 extends rearwardly to the outer end of the spark strip as indicated at 43.

The rear edge of the horizontal flange 4I of the flexible member 39 follows the rear edge contour of the horizontal flange 38 of the angle member 36. The upwardly and inwardly directed flange 42 of flexible member 39 extends somewhat beyond the attaching flange of the spark strip and is coped as indicated at 44 to lie adjacent to and follow the contour of the adjacent portion of the sealing strip 29. By 4this construction the rear portion of the flange 38 provides a support for the rear portion of the flexible member 39 and the upwardly and inwardly directed flange 42 of the flexible member forms a baffle beyond the door opening preventing any foreign matter which might be blown around the sealing strip 29 from finding its way into the door opening.

The upwardly and inwardly extending flange 42` of the flexible member 39 not only provides the outer wall of a trough which is adapted to catch and dispose of foreign matter beyond the door opening but constitutes a door sealing member aswell. When the door is being moved to its closed position it is elevated so that the reinforcing angle 24 is in the position shown by the dot and dash lines in Fig. 3 of the drawing. When the door reaches its closed position it is lowered and in this lowering movement the horizontal flange 26 of the reinforcing angle engages and ilexes the flange 42 of the flexible member 39 whereby an effective seal is obtained preventing foreign matter from finding its way into the car between the flanges 26 and 42. VDuring movement of the door to open or closed positions the flange 26 of the door reinforcing angle is out of engagement with the flange 42 of 'the flexible member so that the latter flange is subjected to very little wear.

In Fig. 4 of the drawing another form of the invention is illustrated. This form embodies the relatively rigid angle member 36 anda flexible member 44. This member is formed with a vertical flange 45 by means of which the member is secured between the depending flange I3 of the side plate and the upstanding flange 37 of the angle member 36. From the vertical flange 45 the flexible memberA extends outwardly in' the form of a flange 46 in engagement with the horizontal flange 38 of the angle member 36. The

flange 46 is formed with a double bend as indi.

cated at 47 and is then extended upwardly and outwardly in the form of a flange 48. As in the previously described embodiment of the invention the flange 48 forms the outer wall of a trough and is adapted to be engaged by the flange 26 of the door reinforcing angle and flexed in order to provide an effective seal when the door is lowered.

The previously described embodiments of the invention contemplate the provision of the flexible members 39 and 44 as separate members from the angle member 36 and their attachment to lthe sidel plate as a separate operation. In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Fig. 5 of the drawing, it is intended to form the relatively rigid angle member and the flexible strip as a pre-assembled unitary article of manufacture. To this end the flexible member 49 is formed with a horizontal flange 50 disposed upon the horizontal flange 38 of the angle member 36. The flange 50 is bent around the edge of the flange 38 as indicated at 5l and is secured to the flange 38 as by means of rivets 52. The inner portion of flange 50 is bent as indicated at 53 and extended upwardly and outwardly in the form of a flange 54. In accordance with the instant invention the flange 54 serves as the outer wall of a trough and as a seal for the upper edge of the door by flexing engagement with the horizontal flange 26 of the door reinforcing angle.

It will bel apparent that the structures embodying the instant invention do not impair ease of movement of the door and that the relatively rigid angle member 36 is effective to prevent movement of the door toward the car side in the door opening.

It will be apparent that numerous changes and modifications in the details of the invention will be clear to those skilled in the art. It is intended, therefore, that all such modifications and changes be comprehended withinthis invention, which is to be limited only by the scope of the claims appended hereto.

I claim:

l. In a railway house car having a wall formed with a door opening and a sliding lift door provided with an inwardly directed flange at the top thereof, a rigid angular member having a substantially horizontal outwardly extending flange and a vertical flange extending upwardly therefrom and secured to said wall, said angular member extending across the top of said door opening, and a member secured to said angular member, Vsaid second mentioned member having a flexible sealing flange extending upwardly from said substantially horizontal flange in spaced relation to said vertical flange and forming the outer Wall of a trough adapted to catch rain, dust, cinders, and the like, said door flange being spaced a substantial distance above said substann tially horizontal flange when said door is lowered, said fiexiblesealing flange extending upwardly to said door flangeand being engaged and freely bent thereby in the lowered position of said door.

2. In a railway house car having a wall formed with a door opening and a sliding lift door provided with an inwardly directed flange at the top thereof, a rigid angular member having a substantially horizontal outwardly extending flange and a vertical flange extending upwardly therefrom and secured to said wall, said angular member extending across the top of said door opening, and a member having a flange secured between said wall and said vertical flange, a

ble sealing flange spaced from said vertical flange and forming the outer wall of a trough, said door flange being spaced a substantial distance above said substantially horizontal flange when said door is lowered, said flexible sealing flange extending upwardly to said door flange and being engaged and freely bent thereby in the lowered position of said door.

3. In a railway house car having a wall formed with a door opening and a sliding lift door provided with an inwardly directed flange at the top thereof, a rigid angular member having a substantially horizontal outwardly extending flange and a vertical flange extending upwardly therefrom and secured to said wall, saidangular member extending across the top of said door opening, and a member secured to and along said substantially horizontal flange,v said latter member embodying an upwardly extending inclined yflexible sealing ange spaced from said vertical flange and forming the outer wall of a trough, said door flange being spaced a substantial distance abo-vey said substantially horizontal flange when said door is lowered, said flexible sealing flange extending upwardly to said door flange and being engaged and freely bent thereby in the lowered p-osition of said door.

4. In a railway housecar having a wall formed with a door opening and a sliding lift door provided with an inwardly directed flange at the top thereof', a rigid angular membervhaving a substantially horizontal outwardly extending flange and a vertical flange extending upwardly therefrom and secured to said wall, said angular member extending across the top of said door opening, and a member riveted to and along said substantially horizontal flangex adjacent to the outer edge thereof, said latter member having a flexible sealing flange extending upwardly from a point inwardly of the rivets in diverging relationship to said vertical flange so that said rivets are accessible, said flexible sealing flange forming the outer wall of a trough, said door flange being spaced a substantial distance above said substantially horizontal flange when saidr do-or is lowered, said flexible sealing flange extending upwardly to said door flange and being engaged and freely bent thereby in the lowered position of said door.

5. In a railway house car having a wall formed with a door opening land a sliding lift door provided with an inwardly directed flangeat 'the top thereof, a rigid member secured to said Wall and extending across the top of said door opening and an upwardly directed inclined flexible sealing flange extending` from substantially the bottom of vsaid rigid member and cooperating ,therewith to form a trough, said flexible sealing flange forming the outer wall of said trough, said door flange being spaced a substantial distance above the bottom of said rigid member when said door is lowered, said flexible sealing flange extending upwardly to said door flange and being engaged and freely bent thereby in the lowered position of said door, the rear end of said trough being open and extending beyond the door opening to discharge matter trapped thereby beyond said f other angularly related flange so that said one angularly related flange extends outwardly subu stantially horizontally from said wall and lies a substantial distance below an inwardly directed 'flange at the top of said door when said door is lowered, said flexible sealing flange extending upwardly to said door flange and being adapted to be engaged and freely bent thereby in the lowered position'of said door.

7. As an article of manufacture, a troughshaped header for a sliding lift car door comprising a rigid member having angularly related flanges and a flexible sealing flange secured to and along one of said angularly related flanges and extending therefrom in spaced angular relationshipl to the other of said angularly related flanges, said flexible sealing flange forming the outer wall of the header trough, said header being adapted to be secured to a wall of a railway house car through said other angularly related flange so that said one angularly related flange extends outwardly substantially horizontally from said wall and lies a substantial distance below an inwardly directed flange at the top of said door when said door is lowered, said flexible sealing flange extending upwardly to said door flange and being adapted to be engaged and freely bent thereby in the lowered position of said door.

8. As an article of manufacture, a troughshaped header for a sliding lift car door-compris ing a rigid member having angularly related flanges and a flexible sealing flange riveted to and along one of said angularly related flanges adjacent to the outer edge thereof, said sealing flange extending from said one angularly related flange in diverging relationship to the other of said angularly 'related flanges from a point inwardly of the rivets so that said rivets are accessible, said flexible sealingflange forming the outer wall of the header trough, said header being adapted to be secured to a wall of a railway house car through said other angularly related ange so that said one angularly related flange extends outwardly substantially horizontallyv from said SAMUEL REESE. 

